From warfighters to lawmakers: Ranks of Navy SEALs growing in Congress

The number of military veterans in Congress has dwindled over the past decade, but one group of former commandos has bucked that trend.

House membership of Navy SEALs went from zero to five over the past 10 years. They won elections to represent districts in Montana, Wisconsin, Arizona and Texas.

All members of this small club are Republicans.

The 80 military veterans serving in the House represent 18% of the chamber’s 435 members. It is the smallest share in modern history, according to a report from the Pew Research Center.

Navy SEALs now comprise just over 1% of House lawmakers.

Navy SEALs — short for the U.S. Navy Sea, Air and Land Teams — go through rigorous training on the coast of Coronado, California, to become mission-focused war fighters. The Navy SEALs in Congress say their military training and experience have prepared them for political combat on Capitol Hill.

“One of the biggest things that any SEAL would acknowledge is that we are forged through adversity, we are made through adversity in the SEAL teams,” said Rep. Elijah Crane of Arizona. “Congress is obviously not an easy job.”

Mission success is paramount for SEALS, and they say no mission, big or small, can succeed without teamwork.

Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana served in the Navy for 23 years. In 2014, he became the first SEAL elected to Congress.

In addition to Mr. Crane, others joining the influx are Reps. Morgan Luttrell of Texas, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin and Dan Crenshaw of Texas. Mr. Crenshaw won reelection to a third term last year.

The four newly elected SEALs displayed their teamwork prowess on the campaign trail last year.

Mr. Zinke is chairman of the Supporting and Electing American Leaders Political Action Committee, or SEAL PAC, which worked to elect himself and Mr. Crane, Mr. Luttrell and Mr. Van Orden.

“We just spent a lot of time helping each other,” Mr. Zinke said.

Mr. Luttrell said he and his peers were “thick as thieves” on the campaign trail. The brotherhood that the SEALs share also cuts through political differences on Capitol Hill.

“It is a group where we can collectively come together and voice our concerns, and we know that it’s safe right there,” Mr. Luttrell said. “If we need guidance and direction, we can lean on each other.”

At 61, Mr. Zinke is the eldest of the club. He said having a younger group of SEALs in the House was important, particularly for fresh perspectives on national defense matters.

“When you first get there and you’re a private, you’re probably not going to lead a lot of missions,” Mr. Zinke said. “You have to learn in the House. There’s a little learning curve.”

Mr. Luttrell, who served in the Navy for 14 years, said bipartisan teamwork is foremost in getting work accomplished in Congress.

Army Rangers were never his “jam,” Mr. Luttrell said, but when it came time for a mission, any friction melted away and the focus became mission success.

That same feeling has translated into how Mr. Luttrell operates in the House.

“When I’m a member of Congress, I use the understanding of ‘Hey, look, we may disagree on tactics, but the mission itself is the betterment of the country,’” Mr. Luttrell said.

Mr. Crane, who served in the Navy for 13 years, said the dedication to teamwork doesn’t mean fidelity to the House Republican leadership. That was evident when he joined other Freedom Caucus members to block the election of Kevin McCarthy as speaker in 14 rounds of voting in January.

“A lot of military guys think that the Republican Party or the Democrat Party is their new chain of command and that they need to fall into line and do what they’re told. I don’t believe that the Republican Party is my new chain of command,” Mr. Crane said. “The people in Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District are my chain of command.”